


The Labyrinth that is the Heart

by RebelMage



Category: Wicked - Schwartz/Holzman
Genre: AU, Birthday Present, F/F, Modern Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-13
Updated: 2012-11-13
Packaged: 2017-11-18 14:28:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/562059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelMage/pseuds/RebelMage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a birthday present for my wonderful and amazing friend, Ela.</p>
    </blockquote>





	The Labyrinth that is the Heart

**Author's Note:**

> This is a birthday present for my wonderful and amazing friend, Ela.

As the rain beats against the windows, as the flashes of lightning light up the outside world, whilst the cracks of thunder make her jump a little bit every time they sound, Elphaba sits, curled up on the couch, watching Labyrinth. Nessa and her father have gone to visit family, leaving Elphaba behind.

Elphaba is frowning at Sarah’s stupidity – why in the world would she tell Jareth the labyrinth’s a piece of cake? – when her cell phone buzzes.

_What r u doin?_

It’s a message from Galinda. Even if the name were not on the screen, she would be able to tell from the atrocious text-speak.

_Were you in such a hurry that you were not capable of typing five extra letters?_

_Fine. What are you doing?_

_I’m watching Labyrinth. What about you? Pouting about the fact that you cannot go to the mall to shop for new clothes?_

_Believe it or not, I’m actually studying._

_And here I thought you were texting me simply for the joy of talking with me. Go back to studying._

_But I don’t wanna! You can’t make me._

Elphaba snorts. _Would you say I... have no power over you?_

_What?_

_Nothing. Have you never seen Labyrinth?_

_No, but I could watch it right now. In fact, I think that’s a great idea! Shall I come over?_

_It’s a shame you don’t take art class, because you’re a master in the art of procrastinating._

_Is that a yes?_

_It isn’t. You know what it is? Me telling you to study._

When she gets no answer, Elphaba is satisfied that Galinda’s gone back to studying. She really ought to know better.

About half an hour later, the doorbell rings. Elphaba curses whoever is at the door – don’t they know there is a rule against disturbing people when they are watching something – as she pauses the film to open the door.

She’s quite surprised, though afterwards she supposes she could have expected it, when Galinda is the one standing outside, holding a pink umbrella. She’s wearing a coat that’s some shade of white – there has to be a name for it, but Elphaba doesn’t care for all those different names.

‘I take it you’re studying the workings of the rain?’ Elphaba asks, a smirk on her face.

Galinda pouts. ‘I’ll have you know I’ve done a lot of studying. For example, the French Revolution was in 1879.’ Her pout turns into a self-satisfied smile, eliciting a chuckle from Elphaba.

‘1789, actually.’

‘Close enough.’

‘1879 is almost a century later. Imagine how different the world would have been if the French Revolution only happened 133 years ago.’ She thinks it over for a while, before a cough from Galinda brings her back.

‘Can I come in?’

‘Well, I assume you are capable of entering a house. Unless you’re a vampire, of course, but I highly doubt that.’

‘Ha. Ha. Different meaning of “can”.’ She doesn’t wait for Elphaba to answer as she pushes her back to enter, closing her umbrella.

‘Really? I hadn’t noticed,’ she says as she walks back to the living room. Galinda follows her soon after.

‘One day, people will no longer put up with your attitude.’ Galinda plops down on the couch.

Elphaba sits down next to her. ‘What were you expecting to do once you got here?’

‘Dunno,’ she says, shrugging. ‘Watch a film or something.’

‘What film would you like to watch, then?’ Elphaba knows arguing won’t do anything.

‘I don’t know and I don’t care. Anything’s better than studying.’

‘Ignorance and apathy. Forget lust and pride and what have you; those are the real deadly sins.’ She removes the disc and glances over her dvd and blu-ray collection. ‘I’ll put in something you like.’

‘You actually have films I would like?’ Galinda seems surprised.

Elphaba ignores the question. ‘Mean Girls or Legally Blonde?’

‘Legally Blonde,’ Galinda answers, so Elphaba puts it in.

❧

When the film is almost over, Elphaba chances a glance at Galinda. She’s still totally engrossed in watching, which brings a smile to Elphaba’s face. She won’t deny she’s got a small – okay, that part might be a lie – crush on the other girl. That doesn’t mean she’ll ever tell her, of course. She has multiple reasons for that: 

  1. She would be rejected.
  2. She would lose her best friend.
  3. It would be social suicide. For both of them. Double social suicide.



So, Elphaba has decided to hold her tongue and long without anyone else knowing, and if she’s scared off some potential boyfriends/lovers, well, then that’s purely a coincidence.

‘The film’s over,’ Galinda says.

‘Well, Captain Obvious, the storm isn’t over yet. Want to watch another one?’

‘You have a problem with storms?’ She seems mildly surprised. ‘Wait, are you afraid of them.’

Elphaba rolls her eyes. ‘I’m just not fond of them. When I was a child, I was always afraid that my house would get lifted into the air by a storm.’

Galinda giggles. ‘What, like in The Wizard of Oz?’

‘I do believe that’s what inspired it, yes.’

‘Oh, I hated that film.’

Elphaba frowns. ‘Why?’

‘People teased me because my name sounds so similar to Glinda.’

‘Why would they tease you with that? Glinda’s one of the good guys. Besides, you’re nothing like her. Glinda is kind.’

Galinda gasps in feigned hurt. ‘I am a lot like Glinda. I am a very kind and good person.’

‘If you’re Glinda, then who am I?’

She thinks it over for a little while. ‘The Wicked Witch of the West, of course.’

Elphaba gasps as well, and playfully punches Galinda in the shoulder. ‘You know, those would make really great Halloween costumes for next year.’

‘Glinda and the Wicked Witch, two good friends, no, _best_ friends, torn apart by a tragic twist of fate.’

‘That sounds like the plot of a musical.’

‘The untold story of the Witches of Oz, a tale of friendship and love.’ Galinda nods, totally seeing it.

‘Love? Between whom? Glinda and the Wicked Witch?’ Her heart doesn’t skip a beat at that thought, no, not at all.

‘Nah. They’ll fight over a guy.’

‘Oh, a love triangle. Very original. And who would this third person be?’

Galinda appears to be deep in thought, but then she lets out a delighted squeal. ‘The Scarecrow!’

‘Seriously?’ Elphaba frowns, mildly disgusted. ‘I think I’d prefer the Good and Wicked Witch.’

‘He won’t always have been a scarecrow. He’ll be a prince, of course!’

‘Of _course_.’

‘El _phie_ , have some imagination. In a world where lions talk, water melts people, and shoes have magical properties, a man can be turned into a scarecrow.’

‘I’m not going to deny that. It’s just that your ideas are a tad cliché. That’s all.’

Silence spreads out between the two. ‘So, how about we watch Mean Girls now?’ Elphaba eventually asks to break the tension.

Galinda shakes her head. ‘No, I think I’ll go home.’

‘It’s still raining.’

‘I’ve got an umbrella. Besides, it’s not like water will melt me.’ She smiles.

Elphaba nods. ‘Well, I’m not going to stop you.’ She would if she could, of course. How she longs to keep Galinda with her, to hold her forever. However, she knows that she can’t, that she will never be able to claim Galinda in any way.

So, she simply escorts her to the door. As Galinda prepares to leave, she asks, ‘Will you walk me home?’

Elphaba looks at her. ‘Sure.’ She couldn’t refuse Galinda something like that, even if she wanted to, which is why she immediately puts on her coat and grabs her own umbrella.

❧

As they walk through the rain, once again in silence, Elphaba thinks. She knows she is destroying herself by doing nothing about her feelings, but there is no way of doing anything about it without getting hurt.

In the beginning – well, after they became friends – they got along so well, but now it’s like there is a wall between the two of them, and it’s all Elphaba’s fault. She shouldn’t feel this way, but there is no way of stopping it. If only she could reach for Galinda’s hand, through the barrier of rain between their two umbrellas. Elphaba smiles humourlessly at the symbolism of that.

The walk seems to take years. When they finally arrive at Galinda’s home, Galinda wordlessly gets inside and Elphaba walks away without sparing the door another glance.

It’s only when she hears quick footsteps behind her, about a minute after she started the walk home, that she stops and turns around. Galinda is running toward her, her wet curls bouncing up and down with each step she takes. Elphaba honestly doesn’t know what to think. Is Galinda angry with her? Or – no, she daren’t hope.

Which is why she’s even more surprised when Galinda immediately kisses her. After the initial moment of shock, she wraps her arms around Galinda’s back – the umbrella fell on the ground somewhere along, and Elphaba neither knows or cares when.

The rain falls down on the two of them, but neither seems to care. It just seems to make this moment that Elphaba, and Galinda as well, apparently, have been looking forward to for so long even more romantic. The two of them, standing in the rain... It’s like a dream come true.

 


End file.
